Brisket technique question

[Thomassen]

I smoked a 14 1/2 lb Costco Prime brisket trimmed to 11 lbs yesterday. It was delicious. I had the thickest flat I've ever had from a Costco brisket and took it 8 1/2 hours before the thickest part hit 175-180 degrees. Wrapped and back on the great after applying Wagyu beef tallow to the butcher paper and brisket before wrapping. It was up to 203 after 9 1/2 hours.

Wrapped it in foil and then a towel and popped it in a cooler after letting it rest for 30 - 45 minutes.

The 25% of the flat that was closest to the coal basket was the dryest with the side with no fat cap getting crunchy. Those slices were good, bu the crunchy side crumbled when cutting.

What do folks do to prevent the crunches? I'm wondering if smoking on the grate with the fat cap side down would be a better way to go. Thoughts?

Oh, and there were no complaints from my guests. I just want to work on my technique.

[Huskee]

That would definitely help eliminate the close-to-the-coals flat from overcooking. PBC brisket is not my favorite thing, so I have only ever done 2 on mine, one hung one on the grate. I liked the grate one better, personal preference.

[Jerod Broussard]

I never hung more than 5.5 hours. Well, I tried to do one as long as I could and rendered 1/2 of the flat inedible, guess which half.

Most of my briskets were too long for the grate until at least 5 hours of hanging. And yes, you can fit 5, you just have to send one to the oven at the 5.5hr mark.

Edit* Forgot the moral of the story. Off the hooks I went to the grate fat cap down first, flipped when it was barked enough. Wrap when the flat has enough bark...if it gets there before doneness.

[Thomassen]

Thanks Jerod. I've seen that you've done multiple brisket in your PBC in other posts. You for four on the grate after wrapping?

[bbqLuv]

Rule of thumb, fat cap toward heat source, so fat cap down. That works in my pellet grill.
Hope that helps.

[saneric38]

I like the flavor that I get with a brisket in the PBC, and I don'thave a stick burner yet. I did have issues like you described. I cut my last brisket in half to have more control of the flat. Mine was a prime from Sam's. The cut was in the middle where most of the flat was one cut end. I also transfer to the oven at wrap time to maintain closer to a 250 temp while wrapped. Not sure if those things are good or bad, but the flat was way better than usual. The flat cooked faster than the point. Since it was separate, I wrapped it sooner. Maybe that helped keep the moisture level. Sam's sells very large flats too, but the price per pound is double the whole brisket. If they were cheaper, I'd experiment more with flats. The flats have never really been what I was expecting. However, the cook described above was way closer.

[Thomassen]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Alabama Smoke]

Hey for you guys who wrap and put back on the smoker, do you use butcher paper or alum foil? My experience with briskets is limited to two, both rather thin flats from Costco. They were good, but not nearly as good as those I have eaten from professional BBQ joints. Both were hung in the PBC and wrapped in alum foil at about 160 when they started to stall. They were then placed on the grate until about 205. By comparison, my ribs are as good or better than those same joints. Tells me there is a lot about cooking brisket I need to learn.

[Spinaker]

Hey for you guys who wrap and put back on the smoker, do you use butcher paper or alum foil? My experience with briskets is limited to two, both rather thin flats from Costco. They were good, but not nearly as good as those I have eaten from professional BBQ joints. Both were hung in the PBC and wrapped in alum foil at about 160 when they started to stall. They were then placed on the grate until about 205. By comparison, my ribs are as good or better than those same joints. Tells me there is a lot about cooking brisket I need to learn.

I always use foil to wrap. Then I get to keep all that au jus that comes with it. You can use it to put over the slices of flat, if they get a little dry after slicing. Butcher paper is fine, but it tends to be messier and you loose out on the juice. It does look cooler and more Arron Franklin though, I guess. I will wrap my foiled brisket in butcher paper if I am serving it at another location, but only because it looks cool. (To be honest)

Also, I would let the brisket ride longer on the pit. You do not need to wrap at 160 F. IMHO, you are missing out on a lot of flavor building on the surface of the meat. When the stall hits, that is when the magic is really starting to happen. Most places that are cranking out great BBQ are not wrapping right when the stall hits. They are letting that crust build, those flavors develop and the allowing the meat to do its thing.

When you wrap, all of that flavor building on the surface of the meat STOPS. Let it ride. Take your time and let the smoke and meat do their thing. BBQ takes a while, especially when cooking brisket. This whole thing of wrapping right when the stall happens leads to sub par brisket, if you ask me. There is real magic in letting that baby roll in the smoke at the stall for a few hours. Just like anything else in life, shortcuts can lead to a sub par product.

Generally, I will wrap my briskets at about 185 F or when I have the color that I like. That color is generally a dark mahogany color on the surface of the meat. Then I will pull them off the smoker at about 202 F or when they are probe tender. By that time the meat has developed a wonderful crust, those amino acids have formed on the surface of the meat. Once you do wrap, you get to save it all in the foil. Once sliced, pour that liquid over your slices and amp up your flavor. You will not regret it.

Also, make sure to hold in your oven or Faux Cambro for at least two hours after cooking. There is additional magic to be had.

[fzxdoc]

Excellent brisket how-to information. It should be stickie posted. I follow this every time I cook a brisket or chuck roast unless I want to play with a new technique.

I love, love, love PBC briskets. Smokey and delicious. That said, my Weber Summit turns out amazing briskets as well. Which to use? Depends on which smoker needs the love that day.

Kathryn

[Spinaker]

Thanks Kathryn.

I too am a huge fan of PBC brisket. There is something special about that fat dripping down on to those coals.

It is always nice to have those options!

fzxdoc

[Alabama Smoke]

Thanks Spinaker for such a through and complete discussion! I am going to print this response out and keep it with my recipes!

[HawkerXP]

I let my briskets hang in my PBC until it comes out of the stall. Bark is usually good by then. I'll put in a foil pan on top of a cookie cooling rack, add a little beef broth, cover with foil and into the oven to finish. Charcoal is usually done around this time anyway. If a long brisket I will triple hook it to keep the meat away from the basket.

[Alabama Smoke]

More good comments. Looks like I have definitely wrapped too soon both times. Now I am looking forward to making my 3rd attempt! I appreciate the help!

[Alabama Smoke]

I wondered if I was foiling too soon. Never got the bark I wanted. I am encouraged to try another, a full packer, would be my first full packer and I have been wanting to find out what all the fuss is really about! From what I have seen at Costco, it appears that is about the only way to get a nice thick flat as well.

[Spinaker]

Yep! The flats you get on with the full packer are the way to go.